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OnePlus' deal with UK carrier EE bodes well for its 5G future
July 25, 2025
OnePlus has had a busy week at the world’s largest mobile trade show. AtMWC 2019in Barcelona, it revealed that U.K.-based EE will sell its unnamed 5G smartphone once the device is ready. EE already sells theOnePlus 6T. This extended partnership shows that carriers’ confidence in OnePlus is growing, which is good news for the phone maker.
OnePlus has grown quickly over the last few years andenjoys a cult followingamong consumers. Carrier deals generally mean a phone maker has made it to the big leagues. Can it keep the momentum going?
EE extends OnePlus an invite
OnePlus famously launched its first phone through aninvitation system. It was a frustrating method to control demand. The company eventually began offering its phones directly to consumers online without invitations. Since then, the company’s sales have steadily improved.
In 2018, OnePlus got the attention of EE in the U.K.and T-Mobile in the U.S.Both carriers added the 6T, the company’s most recent phone, to their stores. According to OnePlus, this boosted sales of the 6T by249 percent. OnePlus didn’t provide a break down of how sales fared at EE versus T-Mobile, but the mix doesn’t matter as much as the total. Clearly the phone sold enough to convince EE (at least) that OnePlus is worth keeping on its shelves.
OnePlus said at MWC 2019 that it is “pushing forward with its 5G endeavors” thanks to partnerships with carriers such asEE. Further, the company said together with EE it will “be among the first to release a 5G commercial smartphone in the U.K.”
Given the fierce competition to befirst to 5G, OnePlus has its work cut out for it — especially when you consider what it had on display in Barcelona.
5G prototype mostly hype
OnePlus provideda sneak peak at its 5G prototypethis week at Qualcomm’s booth on the trade show floor. The company didn’t reveal too much about the device. It will make use of the QualcommSnapdragon 855 processorand theX50 modem. The X50 is Qualcomm’s first-generation 5G mobile chip. Qualcomm recently announced theX55, which is what will eventually power a new wave of 5G mobile devices. OnePlus had a display hooked up to several demonstrations, such as cloud gaming.
No one was allowed to actually hold or use the prototype, which means it’s not even remotely ready. The prototype may or may not reflect what the company actually brings to market later this year.
OnePlus’ competitorsHuawei,LG,Samsung,Xiaomi, andZTEall trotted out5G phones. Of these, only LG and Samsung announced carrier dealsin the U.S., and so far only the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and LG V50 ThinQ 5G are headed to EE. That means OnePlus’ 5G phone will be available in EE carrier stores, right next to the big players.
The big question is whether or notT-Mobilewill continue to support OnePlus. The carrier has yet to say it will sell any more phones from OnePlus, let alone the company’s5G offering.
OnePlus is wholly primed for success. With any luck, it will be able to capitalize on its success and push the envelope. With the U.K. and the U.S. on its side, it now needs to convince other carriers, particularly those in Europe, to give it a shot.
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